VANCOUVER, BC – What should Vancouver Whitecaps FC expect from Chicago Fire on Saturday (3 p.m. PT kickoff – TSN1 and TSN 1410 radio) in their second match of the season?
Chicago, who finished ninth in the Eastern Conference last season with a 6W-10L-18D record, opened their 2015 MLS campaign with a 2-0 loss to LA Galaxy last Friday.
It’s hard to read much into a team’s tactics based on one game, against the defending MLS Cup champions no less, but here’s an attempt.
DIAMOND MIDFIELD
Fire head coach Frank Yallop rolled out a 4-4-2 diamond midfield formation against the Galaxy. New Designated Player striker Kennedy Igboananike partnered up top with Quincy Amarikwa, who led the Fire with eight goals last season. Both players have pace and can be dangerous on the counter – something the ‘Caps will have to be wary of.
In midfield, the two players to watch are Harry Shipp and Shaun Maloney, an experienced attacking midfielder who has played for Wigan Athletic, Celtic, and Aston Villa. As you can see below, Maloney tended to drift to the left to play alongside Shipp in Chicago’s season opener. They will be responsible for pulling the strings from midfield and creating chances for the likes of Igboananike and Amarikwa.
It will be up to Vancouver's defensive midfielders, likely Matias Laba and one of Russell Teibert and Gershon Koffie, to limit their time and space on the ball.
LOVIN’ LOVEL
One thing plainly evident in Chicago’s season-opening defeat was the involvement of right back Lovel Palmer. Case in point: the 30-year-old Jamaican led the team with 72 touches and attempted seven of their 10 crosses.
Palmer got forward a ton, which is a key responsibility for fullbacks in a narrow diamond midfield. As you can see below, over 25 per cent of Palmer’s on-ball actions came in the final third. By comparison, that number was only 12 per cent for left back Joevin Jones.
If Chicago sticks to these tactics, then there should be some space for Kekuta Manneh (or whoever plays on the left wing) to operate.
INJURY BUG
It’s important to keep in mind that the Fire were without several expected starters in their season opener, including striker Mike Magee (hip), new Designated Player forward David Accam (groin strain), and centre back Adailton (concussion).
The latter two could crack the squad against the ‘Caps, however. Accam is listed as questionable while Adailton appeared (and scored) in a friendly against the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team earlier this week.
Should Accam feature in the lineup, don’t be surprised to see a formation change. Yallop has stated that he sees Accam lining up as a wide left player for the Fire in a 4-3-3, 4-4-2, or even 4-2-3-1 formation.
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